Paul,
I have seen on other projects that there is concern for connecting power from all ESCs at once. I have done this on other boards and not had a problem but others have advised not soldering those pins or to remove the + cable from the servo plug (only use power from 1 ESC to the board). Does your board account for this?

Absolutely, those LM7805 are not made for this.
Only on Motor Pin 2 you can use the 5V from the ESC by setting/soldering the jumper shown on the picture, for explanation i installed a ESC on PIN2.
All others are not connected! so you dont have to remove the 5V pin.

I got a flyduino from 3rdeyepro and was trying to connect it. I am only using the USB FTDI (Sparkfun) connected to the board - which should be sufficient to load the MWii software v1.7 with modifications (#define MEGA, instead of promini). Pullups disabled...

I have the Arduino Mega (ATMega1280) selected in the Arduino software, the FTDI works, since I am able to use it with the ArduinoMiniPro (on Jussi's board). Unfortunately, I am getting a response from the Arduino software that the programmer is not ready.

Quote:

avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not ready

My question: Do I have to do anything "special" before I can upload the multiwii software? I read some comments about bootloader, but I was hoping I don't have to deal with any of that.

I think you use the FTDI with auto reset, so you dont have to do anything special.
Is the FTDI the right way mounted, is it on the right pins?
There is allready a Arduino bootloader on it.
Also a Multiwii 1prebis7 should be on it, please test with the GUI if you get a connection.
I tested it with that before shipping, so the chance its broken is little.
It should be easy.
Load the Multiwii sketch, select the 1280 in the menu, make you changes in the code press upload, done.
Made it over and over again, it always worked.
I am sure we find a solution, if not you will get a new one.

Sorry for the many questions, but I want to verify the FTDI connections with you... since I am still experiencing communication issues with the flyduino! I am using the Sparkfun DEV-09115 (see attached image) with the following pins:

DTR
RXI
TXO
5V
CTS
GND

While your board shows
RST
TXO
RXO
5V
GND
GND

Do I see this right that the TX and RX are switched?
Could you try to give me a connection table which one I should connect to what?

Images

axelnied, that's correct, I'm using the newer FTDI basic 5V from sparkfun (sku: DEV-09716) which has the same pin layout. I haven't load multiwii on the flyduino, but I've tried to upload the blink sketch and it works just fine. The way I connect it:

axelnied, that's correct, I'm using the newer FTDI basic 5V from sparkfun (sku: DEV-09716) which has the same pin layout. I haven't load multiwii on the flyduino, but I've tried to upload the blink sketch and it works just fine. The way I connect it:

My 3rd Flyduino arrived safe and sound this morning, you see when we dont have public holidays the royal mail can cope quite well

You have explained the sensor Bob very well thanks

Can you explain the power Bob too please.
what are all these LED 1 and 2 for, i suppose LED 1 and 2 near the edge of the board are the actual LED's and the ones with a gap between them are for resistors if so what size should i use.
What is all this Alarm and voltage devider stuff and there is also holes with circles around WT are they for. Im sorry about all the questions but i dont even know if i need all this stuff because i dont know what it all does but im sure you will explain for the sake of us poor electronically dyslexic idividuals.

There you go Paul its that man who always has questions and problems again.

those are all options, you also sodler some elko caps on it if you want.
But none of this options are needed to fly a copter of course.
This for example shows a (too fat) cable soldered and secured.
For smaller cables use the holes vice versa, take the small holes and secure it over the big ones.
this is a example for the leds, the resistors are not the right value! its just for demonstration.
Also only for demonstration, the voltage divider, to meassure the boltage by the arduino.

Hi Ray
A Elko is a simply a CAP, sry its a german term.
You dont need it, its really only a option and it shouldnt be needed at all, but some guys prefer to add some big caps to their powerline.
These Leds outs are only ment for ilumination of your copter, they wont show anything special other then you have connected a LIPO.
The resistor value depends on the used led and used voltage (2s,3s,4s).
http://www.hebeiltd.com.cn/?p=zz.led.resistor.calculator
You dont need the voltage divider when you use a external Lipo alarm.
Its just a option for the guys who are using the arduino voltage meassurment.http://www.raltron.com/cust/tools/voltage_divider.asp